1). Field of the Invention
Embodiments of this invention relate to the field of semiconductor chip processing and more particularly to an apparatus used in semiconductor chip processing.
2). Discussion of Related Art
Integrated circuits are formed on circular semiconductor wafers. The wafers are placed on sheets with adhesive on them and then sawed between the integrated circuits to form semiconductor chips also known as microelectronic dies.
The sawed wafers are then placed in a handling machine that include a die ejector and a pick and place subsystem. The die ejector has as ejector head which separates each microelectronic die from the adhesive sheet, which is then picked from the sheet and then placed on an integrated circuit board by the pick and place subsystem. The die ejector has X-arms and Y-arms to move the ejector head in an X/Y coordinate system.
One disadvantage of this system is that in order for the ejector head to be able to reach every microelectronic die on the wafer, the X and Y-arms must cover a square area into which the wafer can fit. Thus, the die ejector is larger than necessary and space on the handling machine is wasted. Another disadvantage is that movement of the ejector head in the X/Y coordinate system does not allow the ejector head to move from one die to the next die in an efficient manner. Thus, the rate at which the die ejector can work is not maximized.